Strictly Business

Chapter Three: The New Kid

I had walked into the Winslow household after rapping at the door several times.

Abby had called me the night before, going on about how she needed me to start work as soon as possible. Since I no longer could attend school regularly, I supposed I could skip another Monday to do my job. I’d been receiving phone calls from the principal, saying that I’d been missing too many days of school, but there wasn’t much I could really do. Abby had said, too, though, that Chace and I would be attending school together, so I wouldn’t be all too long without education. I only wondered how long it would take before I couldn’t graduate, period.

One of the maids—the one who I was introduced to yesterday, named Vivian—let me in, bowing her head as if I were royalty. I walked inside, feeling a tad bit uncomfortable by the change of atmosphere. Is this what Abby came home to every day?

“Miss Winslow is in the dining room,” Vivian told me diligently, folding her hands together primly, smiling in a chipper sort of way.

I nodded, not needing to even say thank you before she’d dismissed herself. But before I even realized I had little or no clue where the dining room was, Vivian had probably already vanished to a whole other corridor of the expansive house. I decided to wander about for a while, going nowhere in particular for quite some bit. After a long while of wandering, finding myself lost, I stumbled upon what I thought to be the dining room.

I peeked my head in, but just enough to see Abby, decked out in a bright yellow sundress and heels, talking to a young girl, no older than myself. I told myself to back away, but their chattering seized my attention.

“—It’s really no problem at all, Abby! My family’s always delighted to help you out,” the girl said in a chipper voice that pierced my eardrums. I glanced at her, able to see how beautiful she was, even from afar. The girl had long, pin straight blonde hair the color of pale buttercups and rolled down to the small of her back. She was dressed expensively, too, and donned a pretty white blouse and a mauve skirt, along with tall wedges that looked casual, but were probably worth more than me. The pale blouse matched the fairness of her skin, which appeared only a shade or two darker than it. Her eyes, from where I was standing, appeared to be a clear, glassy shade of blue, and only complimented the perfect symmetry and beauty of her face. I felt a pang of jealously, wondering what it must be like to be so beautiful and so rich.

Abby was smiling, and accepted something that the girl had handed her. I didn’t catch quite what it was, but it seemed to be furry. Was it a fur hat, or something? No, I thought—it looked far too small to be clothing, because it fit easily in the palm of her hand. I tried to peer around to see what it was they were talking about, but in my curiosity, made myself blatantly clear of my presence, and Abby’s shocking eyes flickered to me immediately. 

She grinned, seeming pleased, “Oh, hello, Shay! Did Vivian let you in?”

I nodded, glancing to see the blonde girl was staring at me with curious eyes as well. I pursed my lips, “Um, yes, she did. She told me you’d be in here, but if I’m interrupting…”

“Oh, no, not at all!” She said, smiling, and waving off the concern. Then, as she turned to face me, I got a better look of what was in her hand, and gasped with astonishment. Curled up, seemingly asleep, was the smallest, most adorable gray, tabby kitten I’d ever seen. It couldn’t be older than a week or two old, because of how miniscule and fragile it looked. I only noticed that my mouth was agape when Abby began to chuckle, “Do you like him? He hasn’t got a name yet,” She inquired, and I assumed she was talking about the kitten.

“He’s adorable!” I said breathlessly, wanting nothing more than to put him in a purse and carry him around. I only wished I’d brought Hanna instead of leaving her with Simon’s mother, per his request—she’d have loved to see such a cute little thing.